ALL ABOUT ILLUSTRATION BY PATRIZIA BERMEJO

Patrizia Bermejo, beyond an amazing designer she is also a terrific illustrator, we talked to her to find out more about her dreams, inspiration and process.

Whenever you choose to work in art, you will have to learn (if you don’t know before) that whatever you try do…you will always have use all your sense and get inspiration from every single thing that surrounds you. You have to use a 360° degrees view and look over a shape, a skyline, a color, a shadow…

It was when the five years of fine art where achieved, that I really realized how to think « in colors » as the part of translating images into shapes was already assumed (at least that !). People think (I did as well), that if you study an art career you will dominate some skills…that is not true at all…

When I was younger, I never wanted to use color in my illustrations, as it was really difficult for me, I didn’ t like it. It was thanks to my last painting subject that I oblige my self to really walk into the « colors world » and introduce it in my drawings.

I started by working in some illustrations by pencil inspired in Japan. After that I acquired the ability and the pleasure of recognising all the colors that can be hidden in a, for example, red blanket ander the sun rather than on top of a sofa in a dining room.

It is really amusing to try to really look at things and recognise and the shape and the different colors, just like a game. I love it ! Beyond the technical part, you need to have a creative and imaginative part. You need to have something to share or say, or better stay quiet. I need to separate the illustrations I do at work, those fashion illustrations made for our brides, or for our collection to be understood, from those I do to express myself. The first ones are obviously more technical, but they also have to show a lot of conceptual work that is behind (the inspiration, the details, the connection, …but also the right measurements, the right colors, the right finishings…) The second ones are more about imagination and comunicate something… I could divide my work in themes, moments, ideas…

I specially love the illustrations I do whenever I visit or live in a new city or country. I have lots of views made specially by pencil that are used afterwards to compose my engravings or paintings.

In my opinion, the illustration is the base of any art, you can always paint better with a previous drawing, and if you sutdy a painter you can see how good he is just by his drawings ; it is the same for sculpture, architecture…

Even though I am happy with some of my drawings, I keep on working and try to improve the emotional charge of my work and transmit the spontaneity of a mood, a moment, a feeling, a landscape, a look.

I can’ t explain the feeling that overtake me when I am alone with my notebook and my pencils in front of a combination of shapes, colors, shadows that inspire me.